The present invention relates to a process for generating a data structure for a computer model of a variable structure which can be altered by an object such as a machine tool.
German DE-OS 32 34 426 discloses a system in which a process workpiece is represented on the picture screen of a numerically controlled machine tool in correspondence with the appropriate drawing information. The path of the tool is then superimposed in a predetermined color in the form of a continuous line. This approach does not provide any simulation of the processing of the workpiece from the blank to the finished workpiece.
In the computer-aided design field, it is a known practice to represent a workpiece graphically in such a way that covered edges are not represented. In general, computer-aided design techniques require a high expenditure of apparatus and computation, which is not feasible for use in numerically controlled machine tools, the controls of which are often implemented with microprocessors.
However, even in relatively simple numerically controlled machine tools, there is a need to simulate the processing of the workpiece in order to check programming of the machine tool and if necessary, to correct it, without requiring actual fabrication of an expensive workpiece. Of course, such a simulation of a processing operation should be performed as rapidly as possible.